[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2440 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2440

  To amend title 49, United States Code, to improve airport security.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 13, 2000

 Mrs. Hutchison (for herself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Gorton, Mr. Inouye, Mr. 
 Rockefeller, and Mr. Bryan) introduced the following bill; which was 
  read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                             Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 49, United States Code, to improve airport security.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Airport Security Improvement Act of 
2000''.

SEC. 2. CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS.

    (a) Expansion of Coverage.--Section 44936(a)(1) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``check in any case described in 
        subparagraph (C))'' in subparagraph (B) and inserting 
        ``check)'';
            (2) by striking subparagraph (C);
            (3) by striking ``check under subparagraph (C),'' in 
        subparagraph (D) and inserting ``check,''.
    (b) Checks To Be Made Expeditiously.--Section 44936(a) of that 
title is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) The Administrator shall provide by regulation that 
        criminal background checks under this subsection are to be done 
        expeditiously.''.

SEC. 3. IMPROVED TRAINING.

    (a) Completion of Uniform Performance Standards for Screener 
Training.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration 
shall complete the development of uniform performance standards for 
providing security screening services, required by section 302 of the 
Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act of 1996, by September 30, 2000.
    (b) Minimum Instructional Standards for Screeners.--Section 44935 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
thereof the following:
    ``(e) Training Standards for Screeners.--The Administrator shall 
prescribe minimum standards for training security screeners that 
include at least 40 hours of classroom instruction and at least 40 
hours of practical training before an individual is qualified to 
provide security screening services at an airport regulated under this 
subchapter.''.
    (c) Computer-Based Training Facilities.--Section 44935 of title 49, 
United States Code, as amended by subsection (b) is further amended by 
adding at the end thereof the following:
    ``(f) Accessibility of Computer-Based Training Facilities.--The 
Administrator shall by regulation require that computer-based training 
facilities intended for use at a hub airport (as defined in section 
41731) be conveniently located for that airport and easily 
accessible.''.

SEC. 4. IMPROVING SECURED-AREA ACCESS CONTROL.

    Section 44904 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end thereof the following:
    ``(d) Improvement of Secured-Area Access Control.--
            ``(1) Enforcement.--The Administrator shall enforce 
        compliance with airport access control requirements, 
        including--
                    ``(A) suspending, or requiring the suspension of, 
                employees who fail to comply with those requirements, 
                with or without pay, for such periods of time as the 
                Administrator may determine appropriate; and
                    ``(B) the imposition of penalties provided for by 
                section 46301.
            ``(2) Improvements.--The Administrator shall--
                    ``(A) work with airport operators and air carriers 
                to implement and strengthen existing controls to 
                eliminate access control weaknesses by September 30, 
                2000;
                    ``(B) require airport operators and air carriers to 
                develop and implement comprehensive and recurring 
                training programs that teach employees their role in 
                airport security, the importance of their 
                participation, how their performance will be evaluated, 
                and what action will be taken if they fail to perform;
                    ``(C) require airport operators and air carriers--
                            ``(i) to develop and implement programs 
                        that foster and reward compliance with access 
                        control requirements, and discourage and 
                        penalize noncompliance in accordance with 
                        guidelines issued by the Administrator to 
                        measure employee compliance; and
                            ``(ii) to enforce individual compliance 
                        requirements under Administration oversight;
                    ``(D) assess and test for compliance with access 
                control requirements, report findings, and assess 
                penalties or take other appropriate enforcement actions 
                when noncompliance is found;
                    ``(E) improve and better administer the 
                Administration security database to ensure its 
                efficiency, reliability, and usefulness for 
                identification of systemic problems and allocation of 
                resources;
                    ``(F) improve the execution of the Administration's 
                quality control program by September 30, 2000; and
                    ``(G) require airport operators and air carriers to 
                strengthen access control points in secured areas 
                (including air traffic control oper-
                ations areas) to ensure the security of passengers and 
                aircraft by September 30, 2000.''.

                                 <all>